Category: Guest Speaker – Investment Banking

On Friday, November 10th the management of Change Wind Corporation  spoke to potential investors, scientists, professionals, and academics via teleconference about their firm and market strategy.  AU students had access to that call.

Change Wind Corporation (“CWC”) is a six (6) year old self-funded developer of advanced electricity generating wind turbine technology. What makes the CWC 36kW Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) unique are it’s advanced technologies (several patents) and its focus on high-tech, low-cost mass production. The results: a new standard in low-cost, high performance wind energy.

The 36kW VWAT has been designed and engineered to generate electricity in light breezes as little as six miles per hour and makes 36 kilowatts power in only a twelve (12) mile per hour wind. Standing only 30ft or 42ft tall and light weight, the helical winged turbine can generate power from turbulent air in any direction, and can produce power from short duration wind gusts. The high lift, low drag wings and the friction reducing balancing system (patented) are key designs that allow the CWC turbine to outperform competing renewable energy generation.

For additional informationr contact Gelvin at gelvin.stevenson@gmail.com.

 

On Friday, October 13 from 8:30am to 10:00am the management of Vertimass LLC spoke to potential investors, scientists, professionals, academics, and to AU students via teleconference about their firm and strategy.

Vertimass is commercializing a novel catalyst technology that overcomes several barriers that have prevented ethanol from taking over a much larger share of the liquid fuel market. Vertimass’s ethanol can be used in jet fuel and heavy-duty vehicles and, most significantly, does not have to be capped at 10% of the automotive mix. Plus, Vertimass’s ethanol is fungible with petroleum fuels for transport via existing pipelines.

Most fuel ethanol is currently produced from starch in the United States and cane sugar in Brazil, and new technologies are emerging for ethanol production from cellulosic biomass such as wood, grasses, and agricultural and forestry residues. However, most ethanol in the United States is used as 10% blends with gasoline, and current U.S. ethanol production has virtually saturated that market as a result of the “blend wall.” In addition, ethanol’s properties make it ill-suited for air transportation or powering heavy-duty vehicles. Ethanol also suffers from concerns about its compatibility with the existing fuel infrastructure. Thus, even though ethanol is the lowest cost alternative fuel, these factors present a major impediment to expanding production and overall growth in production of sustainable transportation fuels.

To solve these problems, Vertimass LLC, was awarded the exclusive license to a novel catalyst technology developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory for conversion of ethanol into jet fuel, diesel fuel, and gasoline hydrocarbon blend stocks that are compatible with the current transportation fuel infrastructure. This technology allows ethanol producers the flexibility to make other fuel products that can take advantage of market conditions and break through the ethanol blend wall. Additionally, this simple operation can be bolted onto existing or grass roots ethanol plants with very low capital and operating costs while providing fuel flexibility and possibly replacing dehydration and rectification operations.

For further information please contact Gelvin Stevenson, PhD at gelvin.stevenson@gmail.com.

 

The global shipping industry is practically invisible to most people. But in fact, it is a huge industry and one of the biggest emitters of Greenhouse Gases in the world. If it were a country, its CO2e emissions would rank #6.

Thermal Energy Storage gets no respect. At least not the respect it deserves. But thermal storage has been used for over a century and works extremely well. It has the lowest cost per kilowatt, the smallest volume per kilowatt—or, conversely, the highest energy density—of any energy storage technology.

Perryman Thermal Battery is poised to earn that respect, and today company representatives spoke to a room of potential investors, researchers, and other professionals about their technology and business potential.

Chemical Engineer Virgil Perryman has spent over six years developing and testing his technology. He has been granted two patents and applied for another one. The British Ministry of Defense tried considered his technology in its early years to be used by the British forces in Afghanistan, including a half scaled 13-ton unit that can powered command control for a forward base, a front line surgical unit and radar. They tested it for several years using heat generated by both solar thermal arrays as well as charging from AC or DC sources. The storage unit was then used to generate both heat and electricity as needed. Mr. Perryman originally build an 30 ton initial prototype in 2010 which stored up to 10 MW of thermal energy and subsequently improved the technology so the same containment could store 29.9 MW of thermal energy and could produce 10 MW hours of electricity and 18 MW hours of thermal energy, idea for situations where heat and power are needed. Currently, a European group (which cannot be named) is testing Perryman Thermal Batteries as back-up generators for wind and other intermittent energy generation sources. After 16 months of testing one system where energy must be stored for over 180 days, the units are preforming flawlessly.

The company plans to start installing its thermal batteries later this year. Mr. Perryman has developed one model about the size of a large home hot water unit; another is about half that size and is targeted for homes in the United Kingdom. The first commercial installation is set for a new green residential development England where construction is about to start.

It’s no surprise that the technology works; it is, after all, based on a technology that’s been around way longer than humans. The battery stores energy the same way the Earth stores energy—making it rather like your ultimate bio-mimicry technology. The earth has a molten metal core that’s over 10,800 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s about as hot as the sun! But the surface of the earth is about 60 degrees F. Why? Because of the multiple layers of refractory material between the core and the surface.

The company uses off-the-shelf magnetic induction to melt the nickel-iron core, which is surrounded by a special shield, which is surrounded by an alumina layer and layer of material very similar to the tiles used on the Space Shuttle tiles, a very efficient ceramic refractory which literally holds the heat in. Then there are more layers of ceramics of different density, all designed to trap the thermal energy, and finally a layer similar to the insulation you would find on your kitchen oven. The outside enclosure can be customized to various applications and for inside or outdoor use. Finally, the unit’s outside layer is warm to the touch (about 90 degrees F) but not hot; rather like the cooling fins on the back of a refrigerator. It is controlled by a touch pad with a remote-control option.

This is a proven technology, going back at least for 100 years. It has been used in the UK and throughout Europe. The Storage units can be safely transported by road, rail or sea, either un-charged or fully charged with 100 tons of molten steel and 29 MW of thermal energy.

It is a global battery, with the core from Austria, thermal transfer system from Germany, the controls from several suppliers including the USA, UK and Japan, and, finally, the closed loop steam generator from suppliers worldwide to allow local servicing and maintenance since it’s the only component with moving parts. While the supply chain may be complicated, the technology is simple.

AgriPower, Inc. was formed in 2004, is headquartered in Great Neck, New York, and custom designs and manufactures a unique and proprietary line of advanced technology, transportable, Waste-to-Energy, “Heat Only” and “Combined Heat and Power” (“CHP”) Systems and grinders. The Systems enable a wide variety of waste materials (all types of wood, cardboard, paper, agricultural and forest waste, manure, construction and demolition debris, sorted municipal solid waste and many types of plastic), with up to a 50% moisture content, that would normally be burned, buried or disposed of at a cost, to instead be used as free or low-cost fuel to produce on-site, base load, heat energy and electric power. 

The Systems have a proven track record of reliable and low-cost operation; more than 60 Systems are currently in use, some for more than 12 years, primarily at schools, hospitals, prisons and factories. Their typical payback period is between 2.5 to 4 years and even less if diesel fuel is being displaced.  The Systems are fully-automated, do not require any on-site technical personnel and can be remotely monitored by the customer or AgriPower.

The Company has developed a robust sales agent network in more than a dozen countries that is producing a rapidly expanding sales pipeline.  It has signed Letters of Intent for numerous Systems in various African, South American and Asian countries.  To expand sales of its proven, advanced, clean and renewable technology, it is seeking funding to set up a working CHP demo site in its plant in Pennsylvania and project finance funding, equity and ever-more deals.

The Systems utilize from 1 to 60 tons per day of waste to produce 500,000 BTU/hour of heat energy (heated air, hot water and/or steam) and can generate  from 250 kW to 1.2 MW of electric power.  They are pre-fabricated, modular and skid-mounted, making them easily transported to on-grid and remote off-grid locations such as small to mid-size communities, hotels, hospitals, military bases, industrial parks and colleges and universities. 

Their unique dual combustion design enables them to comply with all applicable emissions requirements.  The fuel burns so cleanly because, after the combustion takes place in the lower chamber, all of the resultant gases are directed into the upper chamber where they are completely combusted using AgriPower’s proprietary extended dwell time design.  This enables problematic materials, such as paint on wood or plywood that contains glue, to be used as fuel.

AgriPower recently signed a broad agreement to use a recently introduced and new type of electric generator that enables the heat energy produced by the Systems to generate electricity.  These generators are being manufactured for AgriPower by one of the largest manufacturing companies in the world, and its generators are substantially less costly than traditional Organic Rankine Cycle generators.

AgriPower is working actively with the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Export-Import Bank, the Africa Development Bank and USAID’s Power Africa program to deploy its Systems to provide renewable electricity in rural areas throughout that continent.  One possibility is to combust the sawdust from lumber mills to generate the electricity needed to power their equipment, with the extra power going to nearby homes and businesses in accordance with various Feed-In Tariff programs.  AgriPower is also exploring possibilities in urban areas where sorted municipal solid waste will be used as fuel. 

Bios

Barry J. Berman is CEO of AgriPower, Inc. and has been actively involved in the Alternative and Renewable Energy fields since 1999. His primary areas of responsibility at AgriPower are in Business Development, Strategic Alliances and Finance.

Barry is an experienced entrepreneur.  Prior to joining AgriPower, Barry founded several companies that ultimately were built up and then sold in the broker-dealer and telecommunications industries.  Several such companies had more than 100 employees at the time of their sale.

Barry obtained his Bachelor of Business Administration from The College of Insurance and his Juris Doctor from Fordham University’s School of Law.

 

Digital Direct IR, Inc.’s management spoke to potential investors, scientists, professionals, and academics this morning about their firm and strategy.

Thermal Infrared Imaging has been used for many years and is an indispensable tool for Law Enforcement, First Responders and all aspects of the military, as well as industrial, medical, environmental, diagnostic and research uses. Presently the market for Thermal Imaging Cameras is over $ 30 billion annually and growing at over 5% CAGR /year. Digital Direct Infrared (D2IR) has developed a revolutionary way to broaden the spectrum available on lens, improve image quality and lower cost. The concept has been proved though sophisticated computer simulations.

Digital Direct IR, Inc.’s Dual-Spectrum Direct-to Digital IR imaging and companion Ultra-Wide-Spectrum optics (lenses) will be able to offer much lower cost, equal or better performance as well as many new capabilities to address the new needs of the military, security, medical, environmental and scientific worlds.